1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a new technique for treating human hair to effect what has become known in the art as highlighting together with a novel dry powder bleach composition activated by the application of hydrogen peroxide, preferably to be used with the technique.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Powder bleach materials are known in the hair coloring art which when mixed with a developer such as hydrogen peroxide of various strengths or volumes, can be applied to the hair as a bleach.
A common practice in salons providing hair highlighting and hair frosting is to cover the hair with a plastic cap having numerous perforations through which tufts of hair are pulled for treatment. A dry powder bleach composition is then mixed with hydrogen peroxide to form a paste. Protected by plastic gloves the operator then applies the paste to the tufts of hair extending through the perforations in the plastic cap. This process which leaves lightened streaks in the hair, and usually changes the color of the hair, typically takes from 35 to 45 minutes. Because the paste is uniformly rubbed into the hair down to the base of the plastic cap there is a finite line of demarcation between the treated and the untreated hair. As the hair grows out, the untreated hair or roots become obvious necessitating rather frequent retreatment of the process.
The highlighting or bleaching of hair requires a highlight or bleach composition typically activated by a mixture with hydrogen peroxide of different volumes or strengths. These compositions are mixed with hydrogen peroxide to provide the paste applied to the hair. There are many such compositions on the market today suitable for use with the tedious process above described. There obviously is a need for a faster, less time-consuming technique for highlighting human hair and for a dry powder composition which enables the process. Those needs are met by the present invention which has as an object a new and improved technique for highlighting human hair which is significantly less time-consuming than those previously employed.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a dry powder composition which remains stable and is freely disbursible and which when activated by hydrogen peroxide will rapidly effect the highlighting of human hair.